Things went south for the Nats right from the start on Sunday as they lost 12-3, sealing a sweep at the hands of San Francisco. Lucius Fox vomited next to the pitchers mound after the second pitch of the game, just before Joc Pederson hit a lead-off HR off of Joan Adon. This entire paragraph actually happened. (08:36) Mark tells Al the latest on Josh Bell who did not play Sunday, but Davey Martinez says the MRI on his hamstring "came back pretty clean". Bell not playing mixed with Fox's quick ex...
Apr 25, 2022•38 min•Ep. 197
The Nats lost 5-2 to the Giants on Saturday afternoon. Al is solo hosting for the first time this season and opens with the news that Josh Bell exited the game early due to right hamstring tightness. This leads to a conversation about the scuffling offense, including the numbers for Alcides Escobar. (06:40) Cesar Hernandez was dropped from the lead-off spot down to the sixth in the order as Lane Thomas took over the top spot. Riley Adams got the start and homered in the afternoon and is surprisi...
Apr 24, 2022•27 min•Ep. 196
The Nats lost 7-1 to the visiting Giants as Patrick Corbin couldn't even made it through two innings. Mark & Al discuss another bad start by the lefty, this time marked by the home crowd booing him. Will he remain in the rotation? His ERA after four starts is at a shocking 11.20. (16:16) The top of the 9th had unexpected fireworks as Alcides Escobar voiced his displeasure with how the Giants were running the bases despite leading by six runs. Where do you stand on this particular unwritten r...
Apr 23, 2022•39 min•Ep. 195
The Nats came up just short against visiting Arizona 4-3 to split the series. Mark & Al react to an afternoon game which saw Juan Soto up in the bottom with the bases loaded. However.... an infield pop-up sealed Washington's fate. (05:42) The bullpen threw nearly five scoreless innings and the top guys weren't even used. Hunter Harvey though was the latest reliever to be placed on the IL, adding to a growing number of injured Nationals. Are these injuries related to how often the 'pen is nee...
Apr 22, 2022•37 min•Ep. 194
The Nats were routed 11-2 by Arizona on a very unusual day in D.C. The U.S. Capitol was briefly evacuated as there was a miscommunication related to the pregame festivities at Nationals Park. Mark tells Al what he experienced first-hand. ****Audio courtesy of CBS 2 in NY*** (04:39) As for the game, Erick Fedde was rocked by the Diamondbacks and couldn't make it out of the 4th inning. He allowed seven runs, six of which were earned, on over 80 pitches. The infield defense behind him was lackluste...
Apr 21, 2022•35 min•Ep. 193
The Nats took both games of the twin-bill (6-1, 1-0) in D.C. against Arizona to move to just one game below .500. Game 1 victory went to Josiah Gray and Game 2 honors were taken by Joan Adon. Al & Mark wrap-up both of their performances as they combined to only allow one run on Tuesday. (14:11) The bullpen was flawless in both games, including Kyle Finnegan pitching twice. Tanner Rainey made it quite interesting in Game 2 by loading the bases with no outs in the 9th, but was able to escape t...
Apr 20, 2022•40 min•Ep. 192
The Nats had their most frustrating loss of the season as they coughed up a 3-0 lead and lost 5-3 in the series finale in Pittsburgh. Al & Mark (Live from PNC Park) recap Sunday afternoon's game as Patrick Corbin made it through 5 innings, but the Pirates rallied against him and the bullpen in the 6th & 7th. Steve Cishek was tagged with the loss by allowing 3 runs, and it calls into question whether or not Sean Doolittle should have entered the game before the right hander did. (13:07) M...
Apr 18, 2022•31 min•Ep. 191
The Nationals lost 6-4 in Pittsburgh on a cold Mid April night. Al & Mark (Live from Pittsburgh) recap an evening where the Nats left 11 runners on base. (05:08) Juan Soto himself didn't strand any runners, and he also reached base four times for a 2nd straight game. He smashed his 3rd HR of the season, that somehow found its way into the Allegheny River. (11:01) Josh Rogers did not last five innings and following this season's formula, it resulted in a Washington loss. The hosts also touch ...
Apr 17, 2022•32 min•Ep. 190
The Nats won 7-2 in Pittsburgh on Jackie Robinson Day to further a clear trend so far to the young season. They are 4-0 when their starting pitcher lasts five frames, and win-less when that doesn't occur. Al and Mark (Live from Pittsburgh) critically examine Erick Fedde's outing as he was able to protect the early three run lead he has been staked. When will a Washington starter make it though six innings? (10:16) The bullpen threw four scoreless innings as Sean Doolittle continued the perfect s...
Apr 16, 2022•38 min•Ep. 189
The Nats lost 9-4 in Pittsburgh as they couldn't hold onto an early 3-0 lead. Mark (Live from Pittsburgh) and Al discuss Joan Adon's poor outing, which was made worse by the bullpen performance to follow. Was Adon tipping pitches? (21:58) Yadiel Hernandez got another start in LF and Lane Thomas was in CF after Dee Strange-Gordon was a late scratch form the lineup. This leads to questions already about Victor Robles as he already sat multiple games in this young season. What amount of playing tim...
Apr 15, 2022•37 min•Ep. 188
The Nats won the rubber match in Atlanta 3-1 for their third victory in the past four days. Mark (live from Truist Park) and Al open the discussion with praise for Josiah Gray, who tossed five scoreless innings. What was working for Gray in the outing? (10:46) The top bullpen arms then stepped up for the final twelve outs to give Gray his first W of the season (Finnegan, Doolittle, Cishek , and Rainey). Do the Nationals actually have themselves a solid back-end of the 'pen? (17:24) The offense j...
Apr 14, 2022•33 min•Ep. 187
The Nats were walloped by the Braves16-4 as Patrick Corbin allowed 9 hits before the 3rd inning concluded. Mark (Live from Atlanta) & Al recap the rout and begin by dissecting the "strange" decision to have Dee Strange-Gordon take the mound in the 8th during garbage time. Is it unbecoming to have a position player throwing 58 MPH in a regular season game? (15:42) The Nationals comically botched a rundown and Victor Robles allowed a ball underneath his glove and to the wall. It was the first ...
Apr 13, 2022•35 min•Ep. 186
The Nationals routed the defending champs 11-2 in Atlanta as Josh Rogers picked up where he left off last season. Mark (covering on-site) & Al discuss the southpaw's performance, which included retiring ten in a row at one point. (08:42) The offense poured it on the Braves pitching staff, led by Maikel Franco who had four hits and 5 RBIs. Lane Thomas and Josh Bell also filled out the scorecard in the victory. Mark explains how Atlanta' pitching staff is in a tough spot as the series progress...
Apr 12, 2022•36 min•Ep. 185
The Nationals earned their first "Curly W" of the season as they came from behind to beat the Mets 4-2. Lucius Fox had quite the MLB debut as he had a game tying squeeze bunt, scored an insurance run, and flashed leather at SS. Mark & Al let you know who exactly Fox is and what he might bring to the table this season. (10:17) Nelson Cruz had a big afternoon as he slugged his 450th career HR and had the go-ahead hit in the bottom of the 8th. (17:48) Erick Fedde finally gave Washington a start...
Apr 11, 2022•35 min•Ep. 184
The Nats were shutout by the Mets 5-0 to begin the season at 0-3 for the first time in over a decade. Mark & Al discuss the struggling offense which has only scored four games in this series so far. (10:53) Another busy night for the bullpen as Joan Adon's outing fell apart in the top of the 5th when he allowed a Grand Slam to Pete Alonso. The hits then continued for the 'pen as Mason Thompson exited the game after just three pitches due a right biceps issue. (20:02) The bright spot so far t...
Apr 10, 2022•29 min•Ep. 183
The Nats lost 7-3 to the Mets in a very long and active Friday evening in Navy Yard. There were multiple delays, a bench clearing fracas, and Max Scherzer returned to D.C. The brawl came after Steve Cishek hit Francisco Lindor in the top of the 5th, ending Cishek's franchise debut after just two pitches. Mark explains to Al why Cishek was ejected when it did not seem that the pitch was intentional. Was New York manager Buck Showalter to blame for the escalation on the field? (17:03) Max Scherzer...
Apr 09, 2022•29 min•Ep. 182
The Nats lost a rain delayed Opening Day 5-1 to the visiting Mets. Al & Mark recap the disappointing evening as not too much went right for the home team. Patrick Corbin was tagged with the loss as he only lasted 4+ frames, which led to five relievers coming out of the bullpen. (13:19) Juan Soto's Solo HR was the only run produced by the Nationals offense, the 99th of his career. The offense struggled mightily as they combined for ten strikeouts. Keibert Ruiz however had an excellent game bo...
Apr 08, 2022•32 min•Ep. 181
The regular season is just a few days away and we get you set for 2022. Mark & Al set the pitching table for the Nationals as Patrick Corbin has officially been named the Opening Day starter. Do you remember Joan Adon from Game #162? Hear why you might hear that name again as soon as April. (19:53) A look at the position players, including Victor Robles getting another shot at the Major League level. Mark explains why there still might be more roster movement before Thursday. Why is Andrew S...
Apr 04, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 180
Opening Day is under two weeks away as a Florida sun soaked Mark joins Al, who is a tad under the weather during this cold late March in the DMV. We begin with the demotion of Luis Garcia to AAA Rochester, despite him playing every day after the trade deadline last season. This leads to a discussion about Victor Robles' situation. (16:33) Lane Thomas ended last season on a very high note, but it seems Cesar Hernandez is the favorite to his lead-off this year. What do the Nats think they have in ...
Mar 29, 2022•46 min•Ep. 179
Mark is back in West Palm Beach for the first time since the Shutdown two years ago, an extra refreshing sign as Opening Day is just over two weeks away. Al & Mark discuss the Nationals decision to retire Ryan Zimmerman's number 11 over a weekend series in Mid June. One apt fact is it will be on the anniversary of his first career walk-off HR. (11:30) We get an update on Carter Kieboom's forearm injury and what it means at 3B. This leads to a preview of how the infield overall is shaping up....
Mar 22, 2022•48 min•Ep. 178
The MLB Lockout is finally over and the Nationals have opened Spring Training in West Palm Beach, Florida. Al & Mark are back for Season #2 of the Nats Chat Podcast. We begin with quick analysis of the topsy turvy negotiations that resulted in there still being a full slate of games for this season. (07:26) We now have the Universal DH and the Nats wasted no time in signing a top notch hitter in Nelson Cruz. Mark says his goodbyes to pitchers hitting in the NL and then lays out what Cruz bri...
Mar 15, 2022•54 min•Ep. 177
An emergency edition of Nats Chat as Ryan Zimmerman publicly announced his retirement at age 37. Mark & Al respond to "Employee #11" ending his illustrious Washington career that began all the way back in 2005. (04:19) What will his next role be with the Nationals organization? (6:20) Perfect send-off for Zimmerman in what ended up being his final game. (10:32) What was the main reason he decided it was the right time to "hang 'em up"? (13:10) Franchise & career milestones set (19:15) Sh...
Feb 16, 2022•46 min•Ep. 176
Mark & Al are back for the first edition of Nats Chat since the calendar flipped to 2022. Make sure to tune into the final portion of the podcast as we congratulate Tim Kurkjian for winning the BBWAA Career Excellence Award, which means he is headed to Cooperstown. We begin by checking in on where the MLB Lockout stands as it seems the two sides will finally sit down for the first time in over a month. Will Spring Training begin on time? (13:23) Juan Soto's sixteen year old brother, Elian, s...
Jan 13, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 175
MLB players might be locked out, but the podcast doors are still wide open for Mark & Al in our third off-season edition of Nats Chat. They begin by setting the scene as to why the sport is going through its first work stoppage in almost thirty years. Will Opening Day start on time? (15:51) Free Agency was abnormally active in the final days leading up to the CBA"s expiration. How could Baseball replicate that for other Novembers moving forward? The hosts then examine Max Scherzer's mammoth ...
Dec 08, 2021•52 min•Ep. 174
Juan Soto was runner-up for NL MVP as Bryce Harper won for the second time in his career. Mark & Al react to Soto coming up short in his bid for the MVP and split hairs between the two former teammates resumes. Was Harper more deserving? (10:17) Scott Boras, Soto's agent, had some interesting comments at the recent GM Meetings regarding his client's future. What are the chances the Nats lock him up to an extension before he becomes a Free Agent after the 2024 season? (23:41) Max Scherzer cam...
Nov 19, 2021•53 min•Ep. 173
Mark & Al return for the first off-season edition of Nats Chat. Since the Nationals season ended, there have been a few changes on the coaching staff, most notably at hitting coach. Darnell Coles replaces Kevin Long; who took a job with Philadelphia. What led to Long leaving town? What attributes does Coles bring to the position? What does Juan Soto make of this change? (17:13) Bob Henley & Randy Knorr have new assignments in player development. What is the aim in these changes? (24:01) ...
Oct 26, 2021•56 min•Ep. 172
The Nats ended their season with a 7-5 loss to Playoff bound Boston. Mark & Al open with their thoughts on the emotional moment in the top of the 8th when Ryan Zimmerman was ceremoniously removed from the game to thunderous applause. It certainly felt like his final game, will it end up being so? (10:47) Juan Soto struggled on Sunday and struck out three times. Given that nobody else ran away with it, does he still have a chance to win the NL Cy Young? (19:48) Alex Avila had a memorable fina...
Oct 04, 2021•54 min•Ep. 171
The Nats lost 5-3 to Boston on Saturday afternoon. Mark & Al go through Josiah Gray's good outing, which was arguably his best start of the season. (8:13) The bullpen had another active day and Mason Thompson was the low light as he walked an AL relief pitcher on four pitches. What approach should Mike Rizzo take for next season in bolstering the bullpen? (20:06) Gerardo Parra made possibly his final at bat in Washington, Jordy Mercer's ejection caused a roster scramble, and Juan Soto had a ...
Oct 03, 2021•54 min•Ep. 170
The Nats lost 4-2 to the Red Sox in a crucial game in terms of the AL Wildcard chase. Al & Mark react to Juan Soto managing to walk four more times on Friday, lifting his total on the season to 144. Does Soto still have a chance at the MVP? (9:28) Jordy Mercer homered, but curiously got the start at 2B over Luis Garcia. Just a day off for Garcia or anything more? (15:20) Josh Rogers was impressive for five shutout innings, but it unraveled when facing Boston's lineup for the third time. Has ...
Oct 02, 2021•35 min•Ep. 169
The Nats lost 10-5 in Colorado in their final road game of the season. Al & Mark assess where the rotation stands as Paolo Espino's outing was cut short due to the two hour rain delay that began in the top of the 3rd. Will he get the nod for Sunday's finale vs. Boston as Patrick Corbin season is over? (17:55) Juan banged his knee into the chain link outfield fence while making an excellent catch. He stayed in the game and we have been told he is OK. At the plate, he had a RBI infield single ...
Sep 30, 2021•44 min•Ep. 168
